54ball
62 Cal.
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- Aug 23, 2004
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A lot of the nitty gritty for this is covered by the building books.
It starts with a gun you would like to build. I personally do a great deal of research. You want to make sure it's a gun that you are excited about and want to spend a great deal of time on.
Once you have the idea of the gun, start collecting the major components. My advice here, especially if it's a gun that uses unique parts, is that you get the parts as soon as you can. Do not wait. People retire or die, businesses close and parts can be backordered or discontinued.
I'll touch on two types of "layouts" or plans.
A gun that's a close copy.
A gun than some refer to as a Phantom. Some call these fantasy pieces. When I hear that I can't help but think of a Conan Sword.
Oddly enough my "Phantom Creation" took many, many times the research and thought as the "historical" based plan.
On a gun like that you do not want Johnny Cash's 1949-50-51-53-53-54 to 1975 Cadillac. It takes a lot of thought. I wanted that rifle to be very plausible.
The first rifle plan is the Historical based rifle.
For this special rifle I decided on the Feather Rifle.
Mr. Rich Pierce Helped a lot with the resources. Thanks.
thumbnail (15) by Travis Brown, on Flickr
I had the pleasure of meeting Ed Rayl at a show. Jim Parker told me that Ed has the Feather Rifle barrel profile. So, I talked to Ed and ordered my Feather Gun barrel. I can't tell you what a nice man Ed Rayl is. I ordered the Feather barrel with straight rifling so I could shoot shot and ball. A straight rifle is more accurate than a smoothbore yet not as accurate as spiral groove rifle at longer range. A straight rifle can shoot shot as good as a smoothbore.
While the barrel was being made, I began to have second thoughts on straight rifle concept.
At the next show, Mr. Rayl had my barrel. When he met me with the barrel, he stepped back and cocked his head sideways and said, "Travis you wanted this barrel in straight rifling didn't you." I said yes. He told me he messed up and gave it a round ball twist. He offered to make me another one. I told him I was happy because I was having second thoughts on the straight rifling. The whole thing was a pleasure.
A word on personalities. I know I'm name dropping. I hate to be "that guy" but, in this topic, I guess I am.
The muzzleloading, Kentucky Rifle Longrifle community is rather small. There is a lot of strong personalities in it. Some can be gruff and maybe off putting. All of them are good guys and at heart care about the craft and the people in it. There's also the mesh of regional culture. Sometimes that may be oil and water.
Mr. Gulser was there with a newly discovered 1780 PA? rifle in the black (oxidized finish). The rifle had a lot of Bethlehem/Beck attributed features. He had a presentation on this rifle. Wallace believed that that rifle was Indian owned. It had an engraving of what looked to be a smoking man. He talked a lot about that. It was a very interesting presentation.
I'll admit I was a little starstruck. During that presentation the "smoking man" engraving looked familiar to me. I have studied Southern rifles a lot and a "smoking man" engraving is found on an 1820 NC rifle. It's identical to the engraving on that 1780 rifle.
Lots of folks were talking to Wallace so I waited my turn. I wanted to talk about the Feather Rifle and the smoking man engraving. I also wanted to talk to him about a grave gun, a possible PA Rifle found in North Alabama.
Well, it did not go well. I asked him his opinion on the two engravings and how similar they were. The NC rifle could have been Indian owned as well. He kind of got mad. I guess he thought I was challenging him. He made it clear he had no interest in talking about those similar engravings. So....it did not go well I was embarrassed. He's a good guy ...kind of gruff. I'm a big boy.
While I'm name dropping, I'll continue. Jim Chambers was there. Man, what a nice guy. Alabama, North Carolina same, same. He had beautiful rifle there in the white he was finishing. The barrel was a beautiful blue and blotchy. I asked him if it was charcoal blued. He laughed and said, "No, I just rubbed some of that Birchwood and Casey stuff on it. Just to give it some color for this show."
Right there next to Jim was what I thought was the most interesting rifle in the show. It was a unskilled re-stock. It was very rough work and the lock panels were very rough. It was very interesting. Mr. Parker asked Jim about it. Mr. Chambers said "Yep, that old boy almost pulled it off."
On a table in the corner was that 1820 NC rifle with the smoking man. Oh well.
Untitled by Travis Brown, on Flickr
A word on getting your parts. Reaves Goering died. He was the fellow that had all of the Feather castings. I was able to find a set but unfortunately, they got lost in the mail. All I got was an empty box. The second time I got a box with a hole in it and the buttplate missing. It was just bad luck I guess. It's a remider that with rare parts, it may be a good idea to put a return adress on them in case they come out of the box.
Mr. Mike Brooks came through for me and was able to cast me a new Feather Gun Set.
I thought about sending my barrel to David Keck, Knob Mountain because he has the Feather profile stock. I'm going to build this one left-handed. The triggers here were just for reference. I'm going to pin the triggers.
thumbnail (15) by Travis Brown, on Flickr
Feather profile.
A73gJEw by Travis Brown, on Flickr
Image isolated.
Untitled by Travis Brown, on Flickr
Gridded off. Notice the larger grid on the template paper.
Untitled by Travis Brown, on Flickr
Enlarging the image.
Untitled by Travis Brown, on Flickr
The barrel furniture and a Trade gun was used to figure and tweak the scale.
Untitled by Travis Brown, on Flickr
Untitled by Travis Brown, on Flickr
The basic Template is done.
There is still some tweaking to do but I have the basic pattern for a blank template.
Right now, my Left-Handed Feather exists as a Pattern waiting for wood.
The Alligator Horse....
IMG_0447 by Travis Brown, on Flickr
The phantom rifle....
The Alligator Horse's pattern was taken from an old unknow rifle circa 1800 with a slight step wrist. I did a lot of research, and this rifle is based on Immediate Post Rev War rifles built Over The Mountain....
The barrel was hand inlet. The lock inlet looks rough, it needs cleaning up. That big spring from that early Ketland left nearly nothing for the wood to remain in the center of the inlet. It broke away.
The real template is the much sharper and straighter bottom image. The upper image is just a drawing of what it may look like.
I been away from muzzleloading a while. There's been lots changes since I laid the Feather out and started on the Alligator Horse.
I'm starting back on the Alligator Horse, when it's done, I'll start on the Feather.
I hope this helps with gathering your parts and the template.
It starts with a gun you would like to build. I personally do a great deal of research. You want to make sure it's a gun that you are excited about and want to spend a great deal of time on.
Once you have the idea of the gun, start collecting the major components. My advice here, especially if it's a gun that uses unique parts, is that you get the parts as soon as you can. Do not wait. People retire or die, businesses close and parts can be backordered or discontinued.
I'll touch on two types of "layouts" or plans.
A gun that's a close copy.
A gun than some refer to as a Phantom. Some call these fantasy pieces. When I hear that I can't help but think of a Conan Sword.
Oddly enough my "Phantom Creation" took many, many times the research and thought as the "historical" based plan.
On a gun like that you do not want Johnny Cash's 1949-50-51-53-53-54 to 1975 Cadillac. It takes a lot of thought. I wanted that rifle to be very plausible.
The first rifle plan is the Historical based rifle.
For this special rifle I decided on the Feather Rifle.
Mr. Rich Pierce Helped a lot with the resources. Thanks.
thumbnail (15) by Travis Brown, on FlickrI had the pleasure of meeting Ed Rayl at a show. Jim Parker told me that Ed has the Feather Rifle barrel profile. So, I talked to Ed and ordered my Feather Gun barrel. I can't tell you what a nice man Ed Rayl is. I ordered the Feather barrel with straight rifling so I could shoot shot and ball. A straight rifle is more accurate than a smoothbore yet not as accurate as spiral groove rifle at longer range. A straight rifle can shoot shot as good as a smoothbore.
While the barrel was being made, I began to have second thoughts on straight rifle concept.
At the next show, Mr. Rayl had my barrel. When he met me with the barrel, he stepped back and cocked his head sideways and said, "Travis you wanted this barrel in straight rifling didn't you." I said yes. He told me he messed up and gave it a round ball twist. He offered to make me another one. I told him I was happy because I was having second thoughts on the straight rifling. The whole thing was a pleasure.
A word on personalities. I know I'm name dropping. I hate to be "that guy" but, in this topic, I guess I am.
The muzzleloading, Kentucky Rifle Longrifle community is rather small. There is a lot of strong personalities in it. Some can be gruff and maybe off putting. All of them are good guys and at heart care about the craft and the people in it. There's also the mesh of regional culture. Sometimes that may be oil and water.
Mr. Gulser was there with a newly discovered 1780 PA? rifle in the black (oxidized finish). The rifle had a lot of Bethlehem/Beck attributed features. He had a presentation on this rifle. Wallace believed that that rifle was Indian owned. It had an engraving of what looked to be a smoking man. He talked a lot about that. It was a very interesting presentation.
I'll admit I was a little starstruck. During that presentation the "smoking man" engraving looked familiar to me. I have studied Southern rifles a lot and a "smoking man" engraving is found on an 1820 NC rifle. It's identical to the engraving on that 1780 rifle.
Lots of folks were talking to Wallace so I waited my turn. I wanted to talk about the Feather Rifle and the smoking man engraving. I also wanted to talk to him about a grave gun, a possible PA Rifle found in North Alabama.
Well, it did not go well. I asked him his opinion on the two engravings and how similar they were. The NC rifle could have been Indian owned as well. He kind of got mad. I guess he thought I was challenging him. He made it clear he had no interest in talking about those similar engravings. So....it did not go well I was embarrassed. He's a good guy ...kind of gruff. I'm a big boy.
While I'm name dropping, I'll continue. Jim Chambers was there. Man, what a nice guy. Alabama, North Carolina same, same. He had beautiful rifle there in the white he was finishing. The barrel was a beautiful blue and blotchy. I asked him if it was charcoal blued. He laughed and said, "No, I just rubbed some of that Birchwood and Casey stuff on it. Just to give it some color for this show."
Right there next to Jim was what I thought was the most interesting rifle in the show. It was a unskilled re-stock. It was very rough work and the lock panels were very rough. It was very interesting. Mr. Parker asked Jim about it. Mr. Chambers said "Yep, that old boy almost pulled it off."
On a table in the corner was that 1820 NC rifle with the smoking man. Oh well.
Untitled by Travis Brown, on FlickrA word on getting your parts. Reaves Goering died. He was the fellow that had all of the Feather castings. I was able to find a set but unfortunately, they got lost in the mail. All I got was an empty box. The second time I got a box with a hole in it and the buttplate missing. It was just bad luck I guess. It's a remider that with rare parts, it may be a good idea to put a return adress on them in case they come out of the box.
Mr. Mike Brooks came through for me and was able to cast me a new Feather Gun Set.
I thought about sending my barrel to David Keck, Knob Mountain because he has the Feather profile stock. I'm going to build this one left-handed. The triggers here were just for reference. I'm going to pin the triggers.
thumbnail (15) by Travis Brown, on FlickrFeather profile.
A73gJEw by Travis Brown, on FlickrImage isolated.
Untitled by Travis Brown, on FlickrGridded off. Notice the larger grid on the template paper.
Untitled by Travis Brown, on FlickrEnlarging the image.
Untitled by Travis Brown, on FlickrThe barrel furniture and a Trade gun was used to figure and tweak the scale.
Untitled by Travis Brown, on Flickr
Untitled by Travis Brown, on FlickrThe basic Template is done.
There is still some tweaking to do but I have the basic pattern for a blank template.
Right now, my Left-Handed Feather exists as a Pattern waiting for wood.
The Alligator Horse....
IMG_0447 by Travis Brown, on FlickrThe phantom rifle....
The Alligator Horse's pattern was taken from an old unknow rifle circa 1800 with a slight step wrist. I did a lot of research, and this rifle is based on Immediate Post Rev War rifles built Over The Mountain....
The barrel was hand inlet. The lock inlet looks rough, it needs cleaning up. That big spring from that early Ketland left nearly nothing for the wood to remain in the center of the inlet. It broke away.
The real template is the much sharper and straighter bottom image. The upper image is just a drawing of what it may look like.
I been away from muzzleloading a while. There's been lots changes since I laid the Feather out and started on the Alligator Horse.
I'm starting back on the Alligator Horse, when it's done, I'll start on the Feather.
I hope this helps with gathering your parts and the template.
